Means for removing trash from mill races



March 10.1925. 1,529,602

L. W.' MAINE MEANS FOR REMOVING TRASH FROM'MILL RA'CES Filed-April 19, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mmh '10. 1925. 1,529,602

L. w; MAI NE MEANS FOR REMOVING TRASH FRQM MILL HACES Filed April 19, 1925 I '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 10, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,529,602 PATENT OFFICE.

LEONARD W. MAINE, F FABYAN, CONNECTICUT.

MEANS FOR REMOVING TRASH FROM MI LL RACES.

Application filed April 19, 1923. Serial No. 633,206.

7 move trash from the water utilized for operating a water wheel,- thereby insuring a steady and uniform supply of water to the wheel and preventing injury to or the choking of the wheel by trash coming in contact therewith.

A further purpose of the invention is the provision of'means automatic in operation for removing trash from the water, said means being operable from any suitable source of power, such as that derived from the water wheel.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent and suggest themselves as the nature of the invention is understood.

WVhile the drawings illustrate an embodiment of the invention it is to be understood that in adapting the: same to meet different conditions and requirements, various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the nature ofqthe invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of the application:

Figure 1 is a top plan view illustrative of the invention,

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, showing the operation by full and dotted lines,

Figure 3 is atransverse section on the line 3--3 of Figure 1, and

Figure 4: is a detail perspective view of a portion of the rake. 1 I

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and designated in the several views of the drawings by like reference characters.

-The numeral 1 designates the mill race, penstock, flume or ot er conduit for the er which is suppl ed tn the Water Wheel,

weeds, roots and the like.

not shown, for operating the same in a man- .ner' well understood. A screen or rack 2 extends across the race 1 and'is designed to catch trash, such aslogs, branches of trees, 7 The screen or rack inclines to thevertical and its lower portion is curved. The screen'or rack ex tends across the race and to a height to BX; tend above the level of the water at alltimes" and under all conditions. The screen or rack comprises a: plurality of bars which are strung upon transverse rods 3 and spaced apartbysuitable separators 4. A platform 5 is located in the rear of the upper portion of the screen or rack and is designed to receive' the trash and other I accumulations which are removed therefrom at such times. as may be necessary to prevent an excessive accumulation.

A traveling rake is disposed to operate upon the forward side of the screen or rack 2 to clear the same of trash and other matter lodging thereagainst. This rake moves upwardly over the screen or rack 2, thereby elevating the trash to the top of the screen over whichit passes and is received upon the platform 5'. The traveling rake comprises endless chains 6, crossbars 7 and. 8 and teeth 9, the latter having their attaching ends bent substantially at a right angle and let into openings formed in the crossbars T and 8 and secured therein by set screws 10 threaded into openings formed in the crossbar 8. The Y crossbars 7 and- 8 constitute the head of the rake and their ends pivotally connect cer tain links of the chains; A shaft 11 is provided with sprocket wheels 12 which are fast thereto and over which the endless chains 6 pass. The shaft 11 is provided at one end with'a tight pulley 13 .and a loose pulley 14.. A drive belt 15 cooperateswiththe pulleys 13 and 14 and is adapted to transmit power from a suitable source'to the shaft '11,

whereby to drive the latter at a relatively low speed. A shipper lever 16 cooperates one to the other of the pulleys Handle as required. Idle sprocket Wheels 17 engage with the drive belt 15 to shift the same from the lower ends of the endless chains 6. The

sprocket wheels'l'? are mounted upon stub shafts, thereby preventing obstructing the screen or rack. The shaft 11 is mounted in bearings 18 which are pivoted at their lower ends, as indicated at 19, and which are formed with arcuabe $1Q1 S2Q in which opers ate bolts 21 or analogous fastenings whereby to secure the bearings in'the required adjusted position.

A clearer is located above the screen or rack 2 and comprises a bar 22 and teeth 23. The bar 22 is pivotally mounted and the teeth 23 curve throughout their length. The clearer is counter-balanced so that the teeth 23 normallyextend forwardly of the screen or rack 2. In the present instance, a weight 24 is attached to the bar 22-and operates to hold the clearer in normal position with the teeth 23 extending forwardly of the screen. An arm 25 projects" upwardly from the bar 22 and a bar 26 is adjustably connected thereto; A guide 27 receives the forward end of the bar 26 and, as

shown, consists of a post having a vertical slot which receives the bar 26. A plate 28 adjustably connected to the bar22 forms a stop to limit the relative downward movement of the bar 26. The lower portion of the bar 26 is cut away to form a stop 29 which is adapted to be engaged by a transverse rod 30 carried by the endless chains 6 of the traveling rake. A guard is located forwardly of the screenor rack 2 and comprises a plurality ofrods- 31 which are secured at their upper ends to a crosspiece- 82 and which have their lower ends let into the bedof the race. This guard is designed to catch large debris, such as logs, trees or large branches;

In practice, the traveling rake is driven slowly and operates upwardly over the screen'or rack 2, thereby moving any trash lodging upon the screen upwardly thereover and, as the rake reaches the top of the screen and in the rear of theteeth 23 of the clearer, the rod 30 reaches a point to engage the stop 29 and in the continued movement of the traveling rake, the bar 26- is moved forwardly -thereby rocking theclearer and causing the teeth 23 to swing across and between theteeth 9' of the rake and remove the trash therefrom and cause it to drop upon the platform 5- inrear of the screen, and when the rod 30 clears the stop 29, the clearer assumes a normal position to be again operated when the rake reaches the top of the-screen. Just prior to the action of the clearer the rake reaches a posi tion with the teeth 23' of the clearer entering the spaces between the teeth 9 of the rake, so that allthetrash is removed from the rake as the clearer swings thereover.

What is I claimed is: 1. Means for removing trashfrom a mill race, the same comprising a screen, endless chains, a rake carried by the endless chains and adapted to move the trash upwardly over the screen, a pivoted clearer at the top of the screen and adapted to detach the trash from the rake, a bar extending from the clearer, and a member carried by the endless chains and adapted to engage said bar for operating the clearer to detach the trash from the rake.

2. In means of the character specified, a screen, endless chains, a rake carried by the endless chains, a pivoted clearer, a bar having adjustable connection with the clearer, an adjustable stop on the clearer for engaging said bar, and a rod carried by the endless chains and adapted to engage said bar and actuate the clearer to remove trash from the rake.

3. Means for removing trash from a mill race, the same comprising a screen, a trav= eling rake in cooperative relation with the screen for moving the trash upwardly thereover, clearer for the rake, and means for operating the clearer to detach the trash from the rake.

4. Means for removing trash from a mill race, the same comprising a screen, a rake" adapted to move the trash upwardly over the screen, traveling means carrying the rake, a movably mounted clearer for the rake, and means through the medium of a movably mounted toothed 6. Means for removing trash from a mill race, the same comprising a screen, a rake adapted to move the trash upwardly over the screen, traveling means carrying the rake, a pivotally mounted clearer for the rake, means normally holding the clearerin a predetern'iined position, through the medium of which theclearer is adapted to be operated by said rake carrying means to detach the trash from the rake.

In testimony whereof I my signature in presence of two witnesses;

MADGE H. MARK, RUTH E. VVITTER.

and means 

